Wang Yi Urges Israel to End West Bank Settlements

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conducted a series of high-level diplomatic meetings on October 15, 2026, on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Baku, Azerbaijan. Serving as the special representative of President Xi Jinping, Wang urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog to stop and reverse the "forced establishment" of settlements in the West Bank.

Wang characterized the Palestinian question as the "greatest historical injustice of this century" and advocated for a two-state solution. He identified the immediate priority as fully opening access to the Gaza Strip to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. During these discussions, President Herzog highlighted the strategic threats Israel faces from Iran and its proxies, though both leaders discussed strengthening bilateral economic and cultural ties.

In separate meetings, Wang met with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. Wang advocated for a political settlement to prevent further escalation in the Middle East, while Zayani described the security situation for Gulf countries as "extremely grave."

Wang also met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov to discuss the "leapfrog development" of China-Azerbaijan relations. Bayramov reaffirmed Azerbaijan's adherence to the one-China principle and proposed expanding cooperation in energy, transport, and artificial intelligence.